Lucas Bersamin's son withdraws complaint vs vendor

MANILA, Philippines — The son and namesake of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin has withdrawn a criminal complaint he filed against a fishball vendor in Makati City.

Bersamin said his son Lucas Jr. and daughter-in-law Bianca have decided to forgive Conrado Bingco, who was arrested by police last Saturday after they filed complaints of unjust vexation and threat against him. 

In an interview, the Chief Justice revealed that he advised his son and his wife to withdraw the charges.

“Although the couple said that this is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly, moving on from the issue and desisting from prosecuting the case was deemed best for both parties,” he explained.

“The couple, however, are pushing for proper legislature to protect women’s rights against catcalling and other forms of sexual harassment,” Bersamin added.

Reports said Bianca was walking along Malugay street in Barangay Bel-Air, Makati City when Bingco allegedly harassed her after she declined to buy fishballs from him.

She then went home and told her husband, a surgeon, what happened. The 38-year-old fishball vendor was confronted by the younger Bersamin.

According to Chief Inspector Gideon Ines, Makati police’s assistant chief of police for operations, said the Chief Justice’s son had an argument with the vendor.

Ines said that Bingco scared Lucas Jr. by pretending to pull something from behind him, but “it was just nothing.” 

“He was pretending he has a weapon, but we found nothing,” he said.

The incident prompted Bersamin’s son to seek the assistance of nearby policemen, who arrested the vendor.